TOUD:Canon Materials
The Time of Unparalleled Darkness Server is considered to be set in 3rd Edition/3.5 Edition Ravenloft, and all sourcebooks from that era are considered canon if there is no specific ruling below.
Materials before 3rd edition will be considered canon where they do not conflict with 3rd Edition Ravenloft.
4th Edition era materials and 5th Edition materials are not considered canon unless otherwise ruled; some 4th edition era materials have been established as canon however.
Rulings
- A modified version of Argynvostholt was added to the module 2024-05-08 by Maiyannah; it features a backstory that is consistent and coherent with 3rd Edition, in our opinion, and is separate from Curse of Strahd (which remains non-canon).
Canon Statuses
The following delineations are used for Canon Status, in order of those considered most authoritative within TOUD, to least:
 |
This section contains server-canon Ravenloft information from the Time of Unparalleled Darkness server; see the References below. |
The server's own canon, as written by developers in the creation and continued development of the server, and by DMs as they run plots and storylines that are incorporated into the game world. When there is a disagreement between the other canon, and server canon, server canon prevails.
 |
This section contains canon Ravenloft information from officially published sources; see the References below. |
This embodies the main sourcebooks of the 2nd and 3rd-edition Ravenloft, along with certain novels in that period. Things like the campaign setting book, the Ravenloft Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Gazeteers. A complete list is below. Ravenloft Canon prevails over all but Server Canon (though one adds its worth bringing up if server canon appears to contradict Ravenloft Canon).
 |
This section contains netbook-canon info from netbooks and/or other ancillary materials. |
This embodies three categories of work: the works of the Fraternity of Shadows (which at points has included the Ravenloft writers along with phones), the Dungeon' and Dragon magazines, and the ancilliary materials, such as inclusions of Ravenloft Material from the 2nd and 3rd edition eras which is in other products. Other period appropriate items which are not listed as Canon below can be considered "Netbook Canon" by default (but do ask, so we can consider and categorize them). Netbook canon which conflicts with Ravenloft Canon or Server canon defers to those, but they prevail over 5th edition materials or homebrew.
Template:Homebrew-canon This embodies materials invented by our players but not integrated into the module proper, such as player organizations, their shops and other rentals, and so on. These are considered their own brand of server canon, but if they contradict the other parts of canon (the established server canon, netbook canon, or Ravenloft canon), then those sources prevail.
 |
This section contains canon Ravenloft information from Fifth Edition, see references below. Please Note: 5th edition Ravenloft is not canon in Time of Unparalleled Darkness except for these specific segments. |
This embodies Curse of Strahd and the other 5th edition materials such as the box set. 5th Edition material is expressly non-canon, except for the very specific parts we include, and only those. Parts not explicitly noted as included from 5th Edition cannot be used. Curse of Strahd and other materials have considerable inconsistencies from 3rd edition and earlier that we cannot spend the time reconciling.
Works considered Canon
An exhaustive list of works so far referenced within the module considered to be Canon:
- [todo: add list]
Works considered Netbook Canon
An exhaustive list of works so far referenced within the module considered to be Netbook canon:
- [todo: add list]
